An Oregon restaurant that had fallen on tough times has gotten a boost from its local community after employees put up a sign asking more of them to stop in for a burger.

Pete's Drive-In in Roseburg, Ore., was struggling, and employees asked owner Chuck Caskey if they could put up a sign. "They asked me for about two weeks solid and I said, "No" every time," he told the local news. "So, when they put it up, they said 'we're not going to listen to you,' and they put it up there anyway." How did it work out?

The sign, which reads,'"Help us stay open, please eat here!" seems to be working. And locals are heeding the call and trying to help Pete's stay in business. Caskey said it is humbling how many people have come in to help his business stay afloat, and a Facebook group created to help out has more than 800 likes.

It's a heartwarming story, and it's always sweet to see a community rally to save a local business. So many small businesses shutter in our age of big chains and fast-food restaurants. Where I grew up, on the Jersey shore, there weren't a lot of chain restaurants. We had the boardwalk, full of small businesses -- burger joints, ice cream stands, and a caramel popcorn shop. Oh, and Mack & Manco's pizza.

It's those places that give a town its character, and make it feel unique and like home. But I worry that the temporary boost from the sign isn't enough to keep the restaurant going long-term. Let's hope things turn around for good.